A Software Development Approach for Driving Competitiveness in Small Firms

147 Pages·2023·7.72 MB·English

by  Delroy A. Chevers

A Software Development
Approach for Driving
Competitiveness in Small Firms
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to accelerate their
digital transformation strategies to continue to meet the changing needs of
their customers. This has resulted in significant growth in the global software
market. However, for decades, managing software product quality has been a
major challenge for many software development firms. This low success rate is
due mainly to the development and delivery of low-quality software products.
In addition to the direct costs associated with poor-quality software, software
flaws can also raise security concerns, as hackers can gain complete control of
various devices and data, such as mobile phones, computers, or the operational
transactions of businesses. These security and privacy breaches are currently
occurring with great frequency.
Although producers and consumers of software products spend vast amounts
of money developing and purchasing these products, in many cases the prom-
ised benefits of user satisfaction, efficiency, productivity and profitability are
not realized. In more severe circumstances, software development firms have
failed and face the threat of going bankrupt, being acquired or suffering clo-
sure, because customers are demanding high-quality software products that
they consistently fail to deliver. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) oper-
ating within the software development industry have a more critical need to
produce high-quality software since they are less able to absorb both the cost
and the reputational impact of producing low-quality output.
A Software Development Approach for Driving Competitiveness in Small Firms
provides some cost-efficient options that can help SMEs increase the like-
lihood that their software will be of high quality. It tells the story of the
entrepreneurial journey that small firms should take to deliver high-quality
software products. By utilizing practical examples and providing several
recommended solutions to decrease the likelihood of producing low-quality
software, the book outlines how mobilizing people, processes and technology
are integral to the software development process and emphasizes why process
maturity is the most influential factor in software development in small and
medium enterprises.

A Software Development
Approach for Driving
Competitiveness in
Small Firms
Delroy A. Chevers
First edition published 2023
by CRC Press
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ISBN: 978-1-032-43620-3 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-48417-4 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-38894-4 (ebk)
DOI: 10.1201/9781003388944
Typeset in Caslon
by SPi Technologies India Pvt Ltd (Straive)
Contents
Foreword vii
Acknowledgements ix
About the Author xi
IntroductIon xiii
chApter 1 the chAllenges oF soFtwAre
development 1
The Software Crisis – Software Errors 1
The Software Crisis – Software Project Failures 5
Software Quality 7
Software Production Methods 12
The Tradition Linear Sequential Method –
TheWaterfallModel 14
User-Centred Method 16
Reuse-Based Method 17
Incremental/Iterative Methods 19
Agile Methods 20
Software Development Paradigms 21
References 25
chApter 2 the strAtegIc use oF technology
In soFtwAre development 29
Project Management Tools 30
Stages of Project Management 33
Automated Testing Tools 38
References 45
v
vi Contents
chApter 3 the ImportAnce oF people In the
soFtwAre development process 47
Software Developers 47
Users 50
Biz/Dev and Dev/Ops Concepts 52
Project Managers 54
Developing Economies 58
Low per Capita Income 58
Excessive Dependence on Agriculture 59
Low Level of Capital Formation 59
Rapid Population Growth 59
High Unemployment Rate 59
Low Levels of Human Capital 60
The Caribbean 61
Size of Firms 65
References 66
chApter 4 leverAge the need For process mAturIty
In soFtwAre development 71
Software Process Improvement (SPI) 73
The Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) 75
Case Study: Adoption of the CMMI by Wipro Limited 81
Case Study: Adoption of the CMMI by Dynanet
Corporation 83
Critique of the CMMI 85
References 86
chApter 5 the sImplIFIed soFtwAre process
Improvement model For smAll FIrms 91
Phase 1 – The Qualitative Method 92
Phase 2 – The Quantitative Method 97
Survey Instrument Development 99
Data Collection 100
Data Analysis 100
Structural Model 102
Discussion and Implications 103
Appendix A: Definitions of SPI Terms 104
Appendix B: The Survey Items 105
References 110
chApter 6 conclusIon 113
Software Production Methods 115
Technology 116
People 117
Process Maturity 119
The SPIM-S Framework 120
Future Research 121
References 122
Index 125
Foreword
Dear Reader,
It has been my pleasure to know Dr Delroy A. Chevers since 2004
when we studied Information Systems at the University of the West
Indies. Our interests had a common thread, Quality! IT Service
Delivery and ITIL commanded my attention and my career pursuits
include IT engineering (systems and networking) and consulting,
production control operations and software quality assurance for large
financial organization.
I recall us spending many hours debating current approaches in
software development and the numerous studies on software qual-
ity and existing maturity models. Over the years we continued to
discuss vigorously the merits of software process improvement (SPI)
approaches and the value to be derived by organizations. However,
our perspectives have increasingly diverged as we advance our careers
towards academics, on the one hand, and industry, on the other.
Delroy has remained passionate about this area of Information
Systems study and has written many valuable works with a focus
on software development practices and information system quality
among small firms in developing countries.
I’ve had the honour to review the work and arguments put for-
ward in this publication, and I must say, not only has he provided a
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viii Foreword
succinct version of his many previous works, but the book contains
a new fresh perspective on earlier discussions on the applicability of
existing SPI models in smaller organizations and furthers the need/
case for a modified framework. He outlines how mobilizing people,
process and technology are integral to the software development pro-
cess and emphasize why process maturity is the most influential factor
in software development in small and medium enterprises.
I’m particularly blown away by Chapter 5 where he proposes a sim-
plified software process improvement model for small firms (SPIM-S)
based on their norms and constraints. I see this as a game changer as
previous SPI models have easily overwhelmed small firms that typi-
cally possess limited resources, thus restricting their progress towards
the delivery of high-quality software.
The author’s motivation is to expose the fact that, although pro-
ducers and consumers of software products spend vast amounts of
money in developing and purchasing these products, in many cases
the promised benefits of user satisfaction, efficiency, productivity and
profitability are not realized. His book will provide you with a road-
map of the entrepreneurial journey that small firms should take to
deliver high-quality software products.
This work is groundbreaking and is a credible reference for organi-
zations in developing countries to utilize in pursuit of the lofty goals
of producing quality software.
G. Alex Campbell
Director, Systems Integration Engineering
Acknowledgements
I want to thank God most of all, for the inspiration, virtue and wis-
dom in the compilation of this book. I extend my gratitude to my wife,
Jackie, for providing feedback on the drafts, as well as giving advice
on the book cover. Special thanks to my mother, Cecelin, who always
encourages me. To my daughter, Chevonnese, I say many thanks for
creating all the graphic designs in the book. And thanks to my grand-
daughter, Arianna, for her understanding when grandpa was busy at
the office and not being at home.
I am tremendously grateful to Professor Evan Duggan and
Professor Annette Mills for their invaluable input and unwavering
assistance and guidance through some challenging decisions. My
friend, Mr Stanford Moore, intervened at the appropriate times to
ensure that the compilation of the book was not as painful as it could
have been and made the journey very intellectually rewarding. To my
Fortis brother, Professor Chris Charles, my recent friend Professor
Andrew Spencer and my colleague Dr Trevor Smith, I say thanks for
the guidance regarding the book publishing process; I thank my class-
mates Mr Garfield Campbell and Mr Andrew Burke in reviewing the
chapters; and Ms Deborah Fletcher, Ms Jonelle Allen, Ms Nordia
Lawrence and Ms Maxine McDonnough for editing the book.
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